Now then, how stands this matter according to the Acts--according to the speech put into Paul's mouth by the author of the Acts? Instead of the Gentiles being the description of persons, to whom, in the first instance, he applies his labours,--it is the Jews. What he _shows_ is "_shown_," in the first place, to those "of Damascus;" then "at Jerusalem;" then "throughout all the coasts of Judea;" and, not till _then_--to the Gentiles: of his abode in Arabia--of any visit of his to Arabia--not any of the slightest mention, or so much as allusion to it. But, all this while, for anything that appears to the contrary, Arabia was completely open to him: whereas, after the offence he had committed against the authority of the ruling powers at Judea, it was not, morally speaking, in the nature of things that he could have continued in any place coming within that description--have continued, long enough to make any sensible impression: and, in Jerusalem in particular, in this same Epistle to the Galatians, from which the above particulars are taken,--it was, as he himself declares, only in secrecy, that, even fourteen years after this, he ventured to disseminate those doctrines, whatever they were, that were peculiar to himself, 2nd Gal.: 1, 2. "Then, fourteen years after, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me. And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that Gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but _privately_ to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain." Thus stands the contrariety:--the contrariety, between Paul's own account of his own proceedings, and the account, which, by the author of the Acts, he is represented as giving of them, on another occasion. Says Paul _himself_, in his own Epistle to his Galatians--After my conversion, it was to the Gentiles that I applied myself first: to the Jews, not till afterwards; nor then, to any considerable extent. Says the author of the _Acts_, in a speech, which he puts into the mouth of Paul--It was to the Jews that he applied himself first, and _that_ to a great extent: to the Gentiles, not till afterwards. Thus stands the contrariety, taken in itself. As to the _cause_, it will neither be far to seek, nor dubious. In the differences of situations, occasions, and purposes in view--in the differences, that had place in respect of all those particulars--it will be found.